Plow hitch



Jan. 31, T950 o. w. OERMAN 2,495,818

' PLOW HITCH Filed Jan. 15, 1945' IN V EN TOR. OREY w. OERMAN A A a a /,I/ WITNESS ATTORNEYS ream d Jan 31. 1950 PLOW HITCH Orey W. Oennan, Mollne, 111., assignor to Deere a. Company, Moline, 111., a corporation of Illinols Application January 15, 1945, Serial No. 572,922

.2 Claims. (C1. 9747') This application is a continuation-impart of my copending application, Serial No, 404,018, flied July 25, 1941, now U. S. Patent No. 2,385,935.

This invention relates generally to agricultural implements and more particularly to hitches for agricultural implements.

The object and general nature of this invention is the provision of a new and improved cushion hitch for agricultural implements, such as plows or the like, in which the action of the cushioning means is always substantially the same, regardless as to the direction of the draft pull. A further and important feature of this invention is the provision of a pivotal mounting for a spring cushion hitch or an overload releasable hitch, which may include longitudinally movable parts, so that the hitch may be aligned with the direction of pull regardless of the position of the implement or implement drawbar, whereby accurate and proper functioning of the hitch unit is secured by relieving the latter, especially the shiftable parts thereof, ofall side thrusts which, if permitted. would tend to cause the parts to bind and would result in malfunctioning and excessive wear.

These and other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of two preferred embodiments of my invention which are illustrated in the accompamin drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the hitch of a twoway plow, similar to that shown and claimed in my above-mentioned parent application, embodying a laterally swingable cushion hitch unit,

- which is of the releasable type, at the front end of the plow drawbar.

Figure 2 is a side view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows the position of the pivoted spring cushion unit relative to the hitch when the left hand plow bottoms are in plowing position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top view of a modified form of the present invention, showing the same as applied to the hitch ofa one-way plow.

Figure 6 is a side view of the structure shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the hitch plunger block used in the form of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 8.

Referring first to Figure 1, the two-way plow chosen to illustrate the principles of this invention is shown at l and includes a central frame 2 supported at least in part on ground wheels and on the propelling tractor, the drawbar of which is shown at 4. The implement l includes right and left plowing units 5 and 8 and the frame 2 has central brace members 'I and I bolted, as at I. to a pivot block Ill. The latter pivotaliy receives to the rear hitch section 25.

the rear end of a laterally swingable hitch member, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral I5. The laterally swingable hitch member i5 preferably comprises upper and lower bars l5 and I1 passing forwardly above and below the arcuate front section is of the main frame 2. The hitchmember l5 carries roller guide means 2i cooperating with the arcuate frame section it and at each terminal position of the hitch member relative thereto there is a latch 22 suitably controlled for holding the swingable hitch in one position or the othenwhereby the front or draft receiving end of the hitch member is disposed in line with the plowing unit that is lowered into operating position. Suitable raising and lowering means (not shown) control both the plowing units as well as the latches 22.

The laterally swingable hitch member i5 comprises a rear section 25, which includes the upper and lower bars l5 and I1 mentioned above, and a front section 29. The rear ends of the bars l6 and II are apertured to receive a bolt 21 by which the hitch i5 is pivotallyconnected with the block II for lateral swinging movement. As best shown in Figure 2, the lower bar I1 is bent downwardly, as at 29. and is then extended upwardly where it is welded at 31 to the front end of the upper bar I. The forward most portion of the lower bar i1 is bent forwardly, as at 32, to form a bracket which supports a standard which, as best shown in the parent application, carries the depth adjusting crank and the rod controlling the clutch trip lever. Rearwardly of the front ends of the upper and lower bars i6 and H, a plate 35 is fixed to the rear bars l5 and I1 and a pair of rollers 36 are mounted for rotation on bolts 31 which connect the plate 35 with a second bracket II that is welded to the upper bar IS. The rollers 35 move along the curved frame bar section 18, as will be clear from Figure 1.

Plates 4| are welded to the front portions of the bars I and I1 and are apertured to receive a bolt 2 by which the front section 26 is pivotally connected for vertical movement relative The forward or vertically swingable hitch section 25 comprises a pair of plates 45 and 46 (Figure 1) disposed at opposite sides of the front end portion 29 of the lower hitch bar II, the forward end of the latter thus serving as a guide for the front hitch section 25. The plates 45 and 46 are connected together in laterally spaced apart relation by a pair of upper and lower straps 41 and 48 which are welded, as at 49, to the front ends of the plates 45 and 46. A bolt 51 extends through openings in the plates 45 and 45 under the bracket 92 and receives the eye of a vertically disposed adlusting bolt 52. The upper threaded end of the latter extends through openings in the bracket 32 and the part supported thereby, and a pair oflock nuteltservetonntheboltandthe.

vertically swingable hitch section it, in different position of adjustment. Loosening one of the nuts 88 and tightening the other. raises or letters the front end of the hitch section 20 to correspond to the depth adjustment of the plows.

The forward ends of the strap members 01 and II are apertured to receive a pivot bolt II by which a spring cushion release hitch unit I. is connected thereto. The present invention is not particularly concerned with the details per se of the hitch unit 00, the same being substantially like that shown in the United States Patent No. 2,271,748, issued February 3, 1942, to Carl G. Str'andlund, to which reference may be had if necessary. Briefly, the spring cushion release unit includes a frame made up of the upper and lower straps 41 and 40 and an abutment member 02 which is apertured longitudinally to receive a slidable U-shepe draft member 00. The latter includes end portions 84 and a bight section I, and cushion springs 00 are disposed about the end portions 64 of the draft bolt 63 and are compressedbetween the rear end of the abutment member 62 and an abutment plate 00 which is held in position on the draft bolt 83 by a pair of adjusting members 60. A rotatable coupling member II is mounted on the bight portion 05 of the draft bolt 03, the coupling member II preferably being in the-form of a generally circular member having a plurality of open ended draft Jaws or hook portions 12, each of which is adapted to receive a clevis member Is that is connected to the drawbar II of the propelling tractor to which the implement is hitched. A vertically slidable link It is carried by the abutment member 02 for normally holding the clevis It in position engaged in one or the other of the draft hook portions I2. The rotatable draft coupling member II is also'provided with an abutment shoulder 18, one for each draft hook I2, and the function of the shoulder is is to prevent the coupling member II from rotating unless the draft pull increases to an abnormal degree, compressing the springs to a point where the shoulder I! becomes disengaged from the abutment member 62, thus permitt'ng the coupling member to rotate and free the clevis member I! from connection therewith. Also, the springs 66 cushion the application of draft power by yielding, during which action the shoulder 18 slides in and out relative to the abutment member 62 but not becoming disengaged therefrom until the load reaches an abnormal degree. The point of release may be adjusted by tightening or loozening the adjusting nuts.

Figure 1 shows one operating position of the hitch I8, in which the latter is disposed at an angle to the general longitudinal axis of the machine and at an angle to the line of draft and lower parts of which are interrupted is provided with a flanged portion 0i. the.o mit the front ends of the bars 01 and 40 pass through, thus forming laterally spaced sectionsllandtl. Asbestshowninl'igurei,

these stop portions provide for a comiderable amount of swinging of the cushionunit 00 about the axis of the bolt 01 but such swinging movement is limited by the stops 02 so that excessive which passes through the 'front end of the hitch Il' generally longitudinally rearwardly to the center of the distance of the plow bottom or plow bottoms that are lowered into plowing position. When the other plowing unit is to be in operating position, the hitch I5 is swung to the other side. Therefore, in view of the-fact that the hitch member It occupies a positionat an angle to the line of pull, first to one side of the line of pull and then to the other side, the spring cushion unit is arranged for pivoting action on the pivot bolt 51 so that there can be no binding or cramping of the relatively slidable parts of the spring cushion release hitch unit 00. To this end. the rear portion of the abutment member swinging is not permitted and, when necasary. the outfit may be backed merely by backing the tractor. Also, the rear abutment plate 00 is'provided with tapered ends (Figure 3). as indicated at II and It, which cooperate with the upper and lower straps 41 and 40 in preventing the rear end-.of the cushion unit from becoming caught on the edges of the bars 41 and I, thus providing for free swinging movement, within the limits defined by the stops 0! and II, of the cushion unit 00.

This construction has the advantage of the sliding parts of the cushion unit ,II or always disposed in the line of pull. regardless of the angular disposition of the hitch I5. If the line of pull was disposed at an angle to the slidable parts of the cushion l0, binding of the slidable parts-that move one relative to the other would interfere with the proper response of the unit to abnormal loads and would cause excessive wear, particularly where the draft bolt 00 passes through the abutment member 02. Where. according to the principles of the present invention, the cushion unit 80 is pivotally mounted so that it can always swing directly into the line of pull, the advantages and functions of the unit 00 are retained, irrespective of the angular position of the hitch II. I

The position of the laterally swingable hitch II. pivoted at 21 to the frame 2, is automatically controlled by mechanism that is set forth in detail in the above-mentioned parent application and need not be repeated here, the swingable hitch member being locked by one or the other of the latches 22, depending on which set of plows it is desired to have in operation. Figure 1 shows the position of the cushion unit relative to the hitch I i when the right hand .plow bottom or bottoms are in operation and Figure 4 shows the position of the cushion unit relative to the hitch I! when the left hand plow bottom or bottoms are operated.

The principles of the present invention are not necessarily limited to a spring cushion release hitch mounted on a two way plow. For example, it is sometimes necessary to adjust the hitch of a towed one way plow to different angular positions with respect to the line of null so as to accommodate different widths of tractors or for other reasons, and in operating conditions of this kind it is very desirable to have the sprirm cushion unit mounted to swing laterally and relatively to the plow hitch so that the relatively slidable parts of the cushion unit do not bind or jam but are arranged to move directly in the line of pull so that there can occur no excessive wear .or erratic action due to side thrusts or extensive loading. Referring now to Figures 5-7, the plow indicated by the reference numeral I00 is a three bottom heavy duty plow including three beams IOI connected at the front ends by suitable hitch plates I02 and clevises Ill to a'hitch structure indicated in its entirety !by the reference nu-' meral I05. The latter includes a transverse apertured hitch cross bar I00 to which the rear ends of a pair of straps I01 and I00 making up a hitch drawbar m9 are pivotally connected. The drawbar I09 is adapted to be connected in any one of a number of different positions laterally alon the hitch cross bar I06. A hitch brace member III is connected between one end portion of the cross bar I06 and the drawbar I09 for holding the front end of the latter in diiferent lateral positions as required by the particular kind and/or tread of the tractor to which the plow is hitched or by other operating positions.

As best shown in Figure 6, the upper and lower drawbar strap members I and I08 are offset so as to be spaced apart vertically, as indicated at H and H6, and the forward ends of the members I01 and I08 are apertured to receive a pivot bolt 1. A cushion spring unit I20 is connected to the front ends of the drawbar members I01 and I08. The cushion unit I20 includes a hitch plunger block I2I, best shown in Figure 7, a U- shaped plunger in the form of a draft bolt I22, a draft link I23 connected with the forward or bight portion of the plunger I22, a pair of compression springs I24 mounted on the legs of the U-shaped draft bolt or plunger I22, an abutment plate I25 apertured to receive the rear threaded ends of the plunger I22 and adjusting nuts I21 mounted on the threaded ends of the plunger I22. As best shown in Figure 7, the plunger block I2l is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending apertures I3I to receive the two lug portions of the plunger I20 and with a vertical opening I32 to receive the pivot bolt III. The rear end of the plunger block I2I is provided with a flanged portion I34 which, like the plunger block de-' scribed above, is formed with an upper pair of abutment stops I35 and I36 and a lower pair of 6 described above, but that, in fact, widely diflerent means maybe employed in the practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An agricultural implement having a member through which draft may be transmitted to the implement, said member comprising a pair of generally vertically spaced longitudinally extending parts, a spring cushion hitch adapted to be connected to propelling means to receive draft therefrom and comprising a plunger block, means pivoting said plunger block to the forward ends of said parts and disposed between the latter for lateral swinging movement relative thereto, a longitudinally shiitable plunger mounted in said block and adapted to be connected at its forward end with said propelling means forward of said block and swingable with the latter between said vertically spaced parts, a compression spring disposed about said plunger between the rear end of the latter and the rear portion'of said block, said plunger and spring swinging laterally with said block between said parts about said pivot axis Whenever the draft member is disposed at a line to the line of draft.

2. An agricultural implement having a drawbar member through which draft may be transmitted to the implement, said drawbar member including a pair of vertically spaced bars, a pivot block pivotally mounted between the forward end of said bars for movement about a generally vertical axis, said pivot member having a pair of longitudinally extending openings therethrough,

: a generally U-shaped draft bolt extending through the openings in said pivot member, a

abutment stops I31 and I38. The wall portions of these stops are spaced apart'laterally to receive therebetween the upper and lower drawbar strap member I01 and I08, and the spacing between the stops is such that the cushion spring unit I20 is permitted to swing alimited amount,

but such swinging is limited so that by driving the tractor the outfit can be backed without the spring unit collapsing. The rear abutment plate I25 is substantially the same as the rear abutment plate 68 described above, that is, is provided with tapered ends I to facilitate the latand therefore interfering with the proper cash-- ioning action, the unit I28 is mounted to swing about a vertical axis relative to the drawbar so that the parts of the cushion hitch unit my line up with the draft pull so that there is no side draft pull and no tendency for the parts to bind or wear excessively due to lateral thrusts, oii'set loads or the like.

while I- have shown and described above the preferred structures in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the particular details shown and pair of compression springs mounted on the sides of said U-shaped draft bolt on the rear side of said pivot block, and an apertured abutment plate mounted on the rear ends of the sides of said :U-shaped draft bolt and adapted to swing with the latter and said pivot block, the ends of said abutment plate being tapered to facilitate movement of the rear end of said draft bolt and associated parts through the space between sai upper and lower drawbar members.

OREY W. GERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,126,427 Eddy Jan. 26,- 1915 1,176,580 McKay Mar.21', 1916 1,262,456 Colwell Apr. 9, 1918 1,291,177 Saunderson Jan. 14, 1919 1,344,899 Junek June 29, 1920 1,372,413 Flugekvam Mar. 22, 1921 1,521,625 Hoke Jan. 6, 1925 1,678,114 Gustafson July 24, 1928 2,012,458 Strandlund Aug. 27, 1935 2,121,416 White June 21, 1938 2,188,413 Markel Jan. 30, 1940 2,271,748 Strandlund Feb. 3, 1942' 2,327,927 Orelind, Aug. 24, 1943 3,383,698 Young Aug. 28, 1945 2,385,935 Oerman Oct. 2, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain Nov. 16, 1922 

